http://cippenhambaptistchurch.com/blog/2009/01/16/christus-victor/ Welcome to our Website Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:01:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://cippenhambaptistchurch.com/blog/2009/01/16/christus-victor/comment-page-1/#comment-403 Robin Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:10:13 +0000 http://cippenhambaptistchurch.com/?p=284#comment-403 I think Aulen's work was ground-breaking in its time, but it's a bit passe now. We need to stand a bit farther away from the issues to find a view that is persuasive for today. None of the above views speaks of the most obvious and literal meaning of the cross - namely that it was the execution by the state and the church of a troublesome and subversive figure (Jesus of Nazareth). That's the bottom line. Talking about how the cross "atones" for sin or defeats spiritual powers is highly allegorical or metaphorical language which relates to concepts and cultures that are long lost to us. Why not start by asking what it was about Jesus that so upset the authorities of his time? What did he mean by "following" him? What was it about his teaching and person that inspired people to follow him? In what sense did they continue to experience him after his death and what did that lead them to do? Most of these answers lead back to thinking about communities of people (whether Jesus' own disciple group or the early church communities) who adopted a radically different life-style based on commonality and spiritual power. That can be extremely threatening to people who treasure corrupt and domineering power and the status and wealth it brings! I think Aulen’s work was ground-breaking in its time, but it’s a bit passe now. We need to stand a bit farther away from the issues to find a view that is persuasive for today. None of the above views speaks of the most obvious and literal meaning of the cross – namely that it was the execution by the state and the church of a troublesome and subversive figure (Jesus of Nazareth). That’s the bottom line. Talking about how the cross “atones” for sin or defeats spiritual powers is highly allegorical or metaphorical language which relates to concepts and cultures that are long lost to us. Why not start by asking what it was about Jesus that so upset the authorities of his time? What did he mean by “following” him? What was it about his teaching and person that inspired people to follow him? In what sense did they continue to experience him after his death and what did that lead them to do? Most of these answers lead back to thinking about communities of people (whether Jesus’ own disciple group or the early church communities) who adopted a radically different life-style based on commonality and spiritual power. That can be extremely threatening to people who treasure corrupt and domineering power and the status and wealth it brings!

]]> http://cippenhambaptistchurch.com/blog/2009/01/16/christus-victor/comment-page-1/#comment-399 Ashley Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:18:19 +0000 http://cippenhambaptistchurch.com/?p=284#comment-399 Nice to know that there's no single "right" answer. Nice to know that there’s no single “right” answer.

]]>